Politicians' 'age of entitlement'

Matthew Knott, Fergus Hunter

The ''age of entitlement'' is over, according to Treasurer Joe Hockey, but politicians continue to spend tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on flights to sporting events, study tours, recipe collections and children's books - such as Aliens in Underpants Save the World.

Department of Finance records show rising Liberal Party MP Jamie Briggs claimed almost $11,000 in entitlements over two years for travel to and from sporting events. For most of this period, November 2011 to November 2013, Mr Briggs was chairman of the Coalition's government waste committee, established to highlight the mismanagement of taxpayer money.

■ $2800 last November for him and a family member to travel between Adelaide and Melbourne, where they attended Derby Day in the Emirates marquee.

■ $1600 last June to travel between Adelaide and Melbourne, where he attended an AFL game as a guest of BHP.

■ $2300 in December 2012 to travel between Adelaide and Sydney, where he attended the Australian Open as a guest of Golf Australia.

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Mr Briggs said: ''Each trip was undertaken within the entitlement rules and publicly declared as required. They included meetings with a range of people related to my work as a federal member of Parliament.''

Last year, following a wave of criticism over politicians' expense claims, Prime Minister Tony Abbott repaid more than $11,000 in entitlements, including a travel allowance to attend the weddings of colleagues Peter Slipper and Sophie Mirabella.

The latest Department of Finance data details entitlements claimed by politicians for travel, office fitouts, telecommunications and publications for the second half of last year. The records show that imminent departure from office did not stop some politicians going on taxpayer-funded overseas study tours.

A week after announcing his retirement from politics last July, Simon Crean left for a study tour of Switzerland and Italy for which he claimed $20,400. Mr Crean had meetings with leaders from the World Trade Organisation and International Labour Organisation.

Liberal MP Barry Haase, who did not recontest his seat at the September election, claimed $28,770 for a study tour last July to Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Cuba and Peru. During his trip, Mr Haase met representatives from the wine, beef, mining and tourism sectors.

While most politicians stick to newspapers and magazines when claiming their publications entitlement, some have more exotic tastes.

Senator Brandis - who required a new $15,000 bookcase - continued to expand his collection.

The Attorney-General's purchases included Downfall: How the Labor Party Ripped Itself Apart, Pamela Williams' Killing Fairfax and biographies of former British Conservative prime ministers Margaret Thatcher and Benjamin Disraeli. He also bought Holy See, Unholy Me, a memoir of former National Party leader Tim Fischer's time as ambassador to the Vatican.

A spokesman for Senator Brandis said: ''Most of the outlays were for law reports, newspapers and current affairs periodicals. The eight books acquired all related to politics and public affairs.''

Senator Brandis was outdone by Queensland Liberal National MP Bert van Manen, who claimed $5220 in publications entitlements last year - mostly on children's, craft, sporting and cooking books. Mr van Manen's purchases included 101 Great Rugby League Players, The Encyclopaedia of Woodworking Techniques, The Complete Book of Vegetables, Herbs & Fruit and children's books such as Lola the Lollipop Fairy, Edwina the Emu and 38 copies of Incy Wincy Spider.

A spokeswoman for Mr van Manen said: ''The books in question are entirely within the publications entitlements.''

Under broad guidelines, politicians are allowed to bill the taxpayer for publications related to ''parliamentary, electorate or official business''.